The present invention relates to a video-coding system, method, and apparatus for recording, selecting, and transmitting appropriate files for each of a plurality of external apparatuses connected to the video-coding apparatus.
In order to record information, two schemes are available to generate a master file and output the master file by using an external apparatus: (1) defining the external apparatus as the apparatus that is to process and acquire the master file, and (2) defining the local (transmitting) apparatus as the apparatus that is to process the master file, and the external apparatus as the apparatus to acquire the master file.
In scheme (1), the external apparatus acquires the foregoing master file intact. After acquiring the master file, the external apparatus conducts the resolution conversion process and/or format conversion process matching the screen of the monitor connected to the external apparatus. The external apparatus can thus reproduce the file and display it on the screen of the monitor. In this case, however, since the external apparatus conducts the resolution conversion process and/or the format conversion process, reproduction and display quality on the external apparatus side depends on the resolution conversion and/or format conversion capabilities of the external apparatus. In fields such as the mobile apparatus field, the various types of apparatus are present that conduct simplified resolution conversion and/or format conversion processes to save electric power and to reduce costs, in which case, there is a problem in that reproduction and display quality deteriorates. In addition, since the external apparatus acquires the master file and then conducts the resolution conversion and/or format conversion processes, a problem remains of whether the external apparatus can immediately respond from connection to reproduction and display. If real-time processing is conducted for faster reproduction or display, the deterioration of reproduction and display quality and increases in costs will result since real-time processing requires simplified resolution conversion and/or format conversion processes or enhancing the processing speed of the hardware to be used for the processes.
Scheme (2) is further divided into two types: (2-1) prior to transmission, generating an appropriate sub-file according to the particular specifications of the transmission destination external apparatus by transcoding the master file, and then sending the sub-file to the external apparatus; (2-2) generating a predetermined specific file simultaneously with the master file, then multiplexing the generated file, and transmitting the file of the necessary format according to the particular situation.
Technology (2-1) is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-87785 (p. 15, FIG. 1), and Technology (2-2) is described in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2002-358100 (p. 10, FIG. 7).